Madison County, Alabama Obituary Collection 1998-1999 (From Various Funeral Homes)
Covering the towns of Big Cove, Brownsboro, Gurley, Hampton Cove, Harvest, Hazel Green,
Huntsville, Madison, Meridianville, New Hope, New Market, Normal, Owens Cross Roads,
Ryland, Toney, and Triana. Also many obits from nearby Athens (Limestone County).
Some of the funeral homes represented: Royal Funeral Home, Spry Funeral Home,
Valhalla Funeral Home, Laughlin Service Funeral Home, and Twickenham Funeral Home.
Note: These obituaries are NOT primary source. They are intended only to provide clues in
researching your family tree. Use the date at the top of each group of obituaries to determine
the date of death since this collection does not include specific dates, only the day of the week
that the death occurred. Use the handy 1998 or 1999 calendars to determine dates.
Billy L. Bruce
ALBERTVILLE - Billy Lynn Bruce, 65, of 693 County Road 336 died Monday at his home. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at Adams Funeral Home of Albertville.
Burial was to be in Kilpatrick Cemetery.
Survivors include his wife, June P. Bruce; two daughters, Sonya Scott and Deborah Bruce, both of Kilpatrick; three sons, Steve Bruce of Memphis, Scott Bruce of Kilpatrick and Brian Bruce of Sardis; mother, Saloma Bruce of Crossville; one brother, Wayne Bruce of Fort Payne; and 12 grandchildren.
Wayne Harbin
GURLEY - Wayne "Keel Mountain Rebel" Harbin, 58, died Tuesday at his home. Valhalla Funeral Home will announce funeral arrangements.
Mr. Harbin was a member of Shipps Baptist Church.
Survivors include three sisters, Betty Harbin Branch of Huntsville and Emily Harbin Reeves and Gertrude Harbin Mayes, both of Gurley; and several nieces and nephews.
Heinz Lahser
KAPPELRODECK, Germany - Heinz Lahser, 91, died April 11. Burial was in a Kappelrodeck cemetery.
Mr. Lahser joined Marshall Space Flight Center in 1957 and was part of Wernher von Brauns team of scientists. He retired from Marshalls Computation Laboratory in 1973, where he worked as an electronics engineer. He returned to Germany in 1995.
Survivors include his wife, Hedwig Lahser of Kappelrodeck.
F.A. McCallum
JACKSON, Tenn. - F.A. "Red" McCallum, 76, died Sunday at his home. The funeral was Tuesday at Holly Springs Funeral Home chapel in Holly Springs, Tenn., with Bro. Sammy Brister officiating.
Burial was in Ebenezer Cemetery near Myrtle, Miss.
Mr. McCallum was formerly of Toney.
Survivors include his wife, Marvis Ange McCallum of Jackson; one son, Terry McCallum of Potts Camp, Miss.; two daughters, Brenda McCallum and Kathy McCallum, both of Potts Camp; four brothers, Vleet McCallum and Lynn McCallum, both of Potts Camp, Jack McCallum of Myrtle, Miss., and Joe McCallum of Memphis; three sisters, Alene Randolph and Dorothy Forester, both of Potts Camp, and Twilla Rutherford of Blue Mountain, Miss.; and two stepsons, Ron Freeman of Nashville and Steve Freeman of Brentwood, Tenn.
Paul Reyer
ARDMORE, Ala. - Paul Reyer, 82, of Wall Triana Highway died Monday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Thursday at 3 p.m. at Gallant Funeral Home chapel in Hazel Green with the Rev. Dalton Warden and the Rev. Chester Jones officiating.
Burial will be in Gatlin Cemetery.
Mr. Reyer was a retired courier at Redstone Arsenal, a World War II Army veteran and a member of Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church.
Survivors include his wife, Alma Shannon Reyer of Ardmore, Ala.; one daughter, Paula Brumlow of Ardmore, Ala.; two sons, Steve Reyer and Jerry Reyer, both of Ardmore, Ala.; two sisters, Pauline Usery and Mary Robinson, both of Elkmont; and four grandchildren, three great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Mamie R. Westbrook
ATTALLA - Mamie Ruth Westbrook, 98, died Tuesday. The funeral will be Thursday at 11 a.m. at Rainsville Funeral Home with the Rev. Nesbitt Sanford and the Rev. Jerry Simmons officiating.
Burial will be in Beulah Cemetery.
Survivors include six daughters, Ivelene Derrick and Ruby McGee, both of Fyffe, Merle Martin of Gadsden, Opal Moss of Pace, Fla., Wilda Stephens of Gaylesville and Katie Hall of Slocomb, Ala.; one son, James T. Westbrook of Ashville; one sister, Jessie Gibbs of Pryor, Okla.; and 23 grandchildren, 37 great-grandchildren and seven great-great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 5 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Mike Wixson
Mike Wixson, 33, of Huntsville died Sunday in Florida. The funeral will be Thursday at 2 p.m. at Laughlin Service Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Leland Caulder officiating.
Laughlin Service Funeral Home is in charge of burial arrangements.
Mr. Wixson was a dive master and a fully certified cave diver. He worked at Uni Graphics Solutions and his hobbies were photography, pool and chess. He was also a life Boy Scout.
Survivors include his parents, Steve and Janet Wixson of Chattanooga, Tenn.; one sister, Laura Hanson of Tampa, Fla.; his grandparents, Cliff Wixson of Tulsa, Okla., and Ruby Jerome of Shell Knob, Mo.; his companion, Nina Donath of Huntsville; and one uncle and one aunt.
Visitation will be today from 6 to 8 p.m. and Thursday from 1 to 2 p.m. at the funeral home.
04/22/99
James S. Burgess
SYLVANIA - James Sam Burgess, 79, died Tuesday. The funeral was to be today at 1 p.m. at Rainsville Funeral Home with the Rev. Winford Robinson officiating.
Burial was to be in Friendship Cemetery.
Survivors include one daughter, Bernice Brown of Guntersville; one son, Charles Burgess of Section; four sisters, Dora Magnum of Jackson, Miss., and Betty Burgess, Mattie Young and Mae Gilbert, all of Pisgah; one brother, J.W. Burgess of Eatonville, Ga.; and five grandchildren.
Memorial donations may be made to the funeral home for services.
Leona E. Cox
Leona Emogene Cox, 79, of Huntsville died Thursday at a local hospital. Spry Funeral Home will announce funeral arrangements.
Mrs. Cox was a native of Limestone County but spent most her life in Madison County. She was a member of the Church of God of Prophecy.
Survivors include three daughters, Gladys Corene Cagle of Rogersville, Mary Louise Yarbrough of Albertville and Ernestine Miller of Atlanta; seven sons, Lewis E. Cox Jr. of Athens, Robert "Junior" Cox of Huntsville, Henry Lewis Cox of Hazel Green, Jerry Wesley Cox of Sanford, Fla., Billy Gene Cox of Decatur, Ronald B. Cox of Laceys Spring and James David Cox of Fayetteville, Tenn.; one sister, Leaton Mae Griffin of Athens; and 35 grandchildren, 37 great-grandchildren, six great-great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Edith M. Gann
IDER - Edith M. Gann, 90, died Wednesday in Fort Payne. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at Kerby Funeral Home chapel with Elder Ricky Harcrow officiating.
Burial was to be in Fuller Cemetery.
Mrs. Gann was a member of Macedonia Primitive Baptist Church and was preceded in death by her husband, Daniel W. Gann.
Survivors include one son, Donald Gann of Fort Payne; one daughter, Mary Vest of Fort Payne; two brothers, Hershell Boydston and Willard Boydston, both of Ider; seven sisters, Tola Ott and Opella Smith, both of Ider, Flona Thornhill of Pisgah, Vera Abercrombie of Henagar, Girtha Lee Stoner of Birmingham, Zula Jones of Chattanooga and Ivonene Thompson of Rocky Face, Ga.; and three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Wayne Harbin
GURLEY - Wayne "Keel Mountain Rebel" Harbin, 58, died Tuesday at his home. The funeral will be Friday at 1 p.m. at Valhalla Funeral Home with the Revs. R.E. Mayo and James Wilburn officiating.
Burial will be in Valhalla Memory Gardens.
Mr. Harbin was a member of Shipps Baptist Church.
Survivors include three sisters, Betty Harbin Branch of Huntsville and Emily Harbin Reeves and Gertrude Harbin Mayes, both of Gurley; two brothers, Jimmy Lewis Harbin of Huntsville and Rudolph Harbin Jr. of Gurley; and several nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be today from 3 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Jerry L. Harwell
Jerry Lynn Harwell, 55, of Huntsville died Tuesday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Friday at 2 p.m. at Twickenham Funeral Home East with Bro. Bobby Ogles officiating.
Burial will be in Twickenham Memory Gardens.
Mr. Harwell was a native of Limestone County and worked at SCI 29 years.
Survivors include his wife, Susan Harwell of Huntsville; three sons, Thomas Vaughn of Huntsville, David Harwell of Tuscaloosa and Anthony Harwell of Jacksonville, Fla.; three daughters, Teresa Vaughn of Huntsville, Shelia Barton of Huntsville and Kim Harwell of Athens; his mother, Ellarea Harwell of Athens; two daughters, Barbara Ogles and Nancy Clines, both of Athens; and nine grandchildren.
Visitation will be today from 1 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Wallace B. Hyde
ALBERTVILLE - Wallace B. Hyde, 77, died Wednesday at his home. The funeral will be Friday at 2 p.m. at Albertville Funeral Home chapel with Bro. Wayne Brooks officiating.
Burial will be in Concord Cemetery.
Survivors include his wife, Corene Hyde of Albertville; one son, Roy Hyde of Horton; two daughters, Linda Lang of Albertville and Louise Ashley of Sardis; two brothers, Tom Hyde and Alton Hyde, both of Albertville; three sisters, Omie Hill of Joppa, Dovie Woodham of Trenton, Ga., and Lucille Chandler of Albertville; and 10 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
Ruby Johnson
GUNTERSVILLE - Ruby Lee Duran Johnson, 90, of 1328 OBrig Ave. died Monday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Saturday at 2 p.m. at Guntersville Memorial Chapel Funeral Home.
Burial will be in Marshall Memorial Garden.
Survivors include one daughter, Sandra J. Kerley of Massachusetts; one sister, Myra D. Camp of Albertville; and two granddaughters, Dr. Melissa Kerley of Florida and Christina Kerley of New York.
Visitation will be Friday at 6 p.m. at the funeral home.
Stephanie D. Jordan
SOMERVILLE - Stephanie Diana Jordan, 39, died Monday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Friday at 1 p.m. at Kings Memorial United Methodist Church with Dr. Wylheme Ragland officiating.
Burial will be in Decatur City Cemetery with Reynolds Funeral Home in charge.
Mrs. Jordan was copy center supervisor at Alabama A&M Printing Services.
She is survived by several family members and friends.
Nellie McKenzie
SECTION - Miss Nellie McKenzie, 79, died Tuesday at Sunset Nursing Home in South Pittsburg, Tenn. The funeral was to be today at 4 p.m. at Sand Mountain Funeral Home in Rainsville.
Burial was to be in Section Methodist Church Cemetery.
Survivors include two sisters, Lillian Matthews of Fackler and Catherine Fesperman of Asheville, N.C.; and two brothers, Baker McKenzie and B.B. McKenzie, both of Section.
Ezell Patton
HARVEST - Ezell Patton, 70, of 124 Jeff Patton Road died Monday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Saturday at 1 p.m. at Syler Tabernacle Primitive Baptist Church with the Rev. Timothy Rainey officiating.
Burial will be in Indian Creek Cemetery with Royal Funeral Home in charge.
Survivors include his wife, Richetta Patton of Harvest; four daughters, Shirley Dianne Patton, Wanda Gail Cross and Doris Baugh, all of Huntsville, and Linda Bailey of Harvest; two sons, Leon Patton of Huntsville and Walter Lee Patton of Harvest; two brothers, Charlie Patton of Huntsville and Porter Patton of Athens; and 11 grandchildren.
His body will be at the church one hour before the funeral.
Virginia M. Savage
FAYETTE - Virginia Mae Savage, 71, of 2025 County Road 108 died Monday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Saturday at 1 p.m. at Mount Joy Baptist Church with Elder Joe Mack Bankhead officiating.
Burial will be in Heritage Memorial Gardens with Fayette Funeral Home in charge.
Survivors include her husband, the Rev. Robert M. Savage Sr. of Fayette; one daughter, Geneva Savage of Huntsville; three sons, Robert Savage Jr. of Wichita, Kansas, Elijah Savage of Los Angeles and Dr. Jacob Savage of Huntsville; five sisters, Loretta Callum and Mary Allen, both of Altadena, Calif., Ada Deb of Clarksville, Tenn., Marjorie Oliver of Colorado Springs, Colo., and Susie McClellan of Wichita; and two brothers, Jackson Bankhead and Arthur Bankhead Jr., both of Sulligent.
Raburn E. Stephens
NEW HOPE Raburn E. Stephens, 65, of 466 Albert Mann Road died Wednesday at a local hospital. The funeral will be Saturday at 11 a.m. at New Hope Funeral Home chapel with C.H. Dake and Don Miller officiating.
Burial will be in Hayden Cemetery.
Survivors include two daughters, Jennifer Talkington of Tennessee and Judy Britt of Athens; his mother, Elma Stephens of New Hope; and four grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Massie B. Strong
BIRMINGHAM - Massie Beneford Strong, 86, died Tuesday. The funeral will be Saturday at 1 p.m. at Antioch Cumberland Presbyterian Church in America in Athens.
Burial will be in Pleasant Grove Cemetery with Mason Funeral Home in Athens in charge.
Survivors include one sister, Virgie Evans of Chattanooga, Tenn.; and several nieces and nephews, including Leonard Strong of Birmingham.
Ruby J. Willmon
SCOTTSBORO - Ruby Jean Jones Willmon, 65, died Tuesday at a local hospital. The funeral was to be today at 2 p.m. at Rudder Funeral Home with the Rev. Ray Barrett officiating.
Burial was to be in PriceCemetery in Fackler.
Mrs. Willmon was a retired secretary.
Survivors include her husband, Dewey Willmon; one daughter, Ruby Carlene Jones of Greenville, Tenn.; four sisters, Carolyn Skyles of South Pittsburg, Tenn., and Dorothy Hall, Ruth Rowe and Shirley of Skyles, all of Bridgeport; and five brothers, Howard D. Blizard of Keithville, La., Luther "Junior" Blizard of South Pittsburg and James Hayden Blizard, John "Bud" Blizard and Roy D. Blizard, all of Bridgeport.
